Our only public footpath is under threat because planning permission has been obtained by
Durham County Council to build over a section of it. This will destroy part of
the traditional route along the tank tracks which cross the site of the former WW2 Stainton Camp.
Stainton Camp was one of 5 camps sited in the area of Broomielaw Railway Station which was
formerly the private station for the Bowes family at Streatlam Castle. The other camps were at Barford, Humbleton, Streatlam
and Westwick.
All of the other tank tracks have already been stopped up.
The site of the development is bounded on three sides by, and bisected by, an unrecorded
public right of way - grid reference from NZ 072 178 to NZ 073 179. A council employee (JS) was of the opinion that:
"It's not as if it was a Roman site".
Many would say that there is room in
history for all of us.
It is likely that a Public Inquiry will be
held to decide if the route can be diverted.
This site is a work in progress. It features a timeline of events which impacted on
our only footpath. At present this timeline covers from January 1993 to 2014 and will be added to, as and
when, up to the present day.
